


Tiny Hats on Cats

by castielonacloud



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff and Angst, M/M, also minor mentions of minor wounds and some swearing, at least I think so, canon compliant sort of i guess, church plays an integral role to the story though, let alec lightwood make jokes, post 2x18
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 10:27:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11689740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castielonacloud/pseuds/castielonacloud
Summary: Alternatively titled, Magnus and Alec are really bad at being ex-boyfriends.





	Tiny Hats on Cats

**Author's Note:**

> oh, wow, uh, this is my first fic! that i've actually finished! apologies if anything seems like an odd character choice or weirdly written. enjoy! (or don't?)

            When Izzy got dumped by her first boyfriend, some pimply, nasally, irritating Shadowhunter named Wesley whom Alec _loathed_ , he had remembered all those mundane magazines talked about using ice cream and shitty rom-coms to cope with heartbreak. So he’d bought several gallons of mint chocolate chip, rented _Clueless_ and _10 Things I Hate About You_ (which had actually been pretty good) from the nearest mundane video store, and let Izzy sob all over his favorite sweater.

            Izzy’s much better at dealing with heartbreak nowadays. Her own, anyways. Alec figures it will take more than Heath Ledger serenading Julia Stiles and java chip for get him over this…thing with Magnus.

            _Breakup_ , hissed the nasty voice in his head. Alec’s heart clenched at this, the ice cream melted on his tongue, tasting bitter as it went down. _He broke up with you._

            Alec tried to block the voice out, rubbing his swollen eyes, and taking another spoonful of ice cream. He could sense Izzy and Jace looking at him. Izzy had found him moments after those elevator doors had closed, crumbling in on himself, unable to hide the hot tears flowing freely from his eyes.

            The tears were gone now but the ache in his chest and the tightness in his stomach were still there. He tried to focus on the laptop screen perched on Izzy’s legs. The three of them were squished together on Alec’s bed. He tried not to think about how much more comfortable Magnus’s bed was.

_“…Likes Thai food, feminist prose and angry girl music of the indie rock persuasion…“_

            Alec swallowed a lump in his throat. By the angel, he was pathetic. He’d always thought it was so ridiculous in mundane movies when some recently dumped protagonist got emotional over being reminded of something their ex did, like drink cinnamon in their hot chocolate. Yet, here he was, feeling like the tears would start again just thinking about the fact that Thai food was what he and Magnus ordered in weekly, eating on the couch in their pajamas as Alec tried to steal Magnus’ spring rolls

            _“You’ll never guess what just happened on the phone,” Magnus announced theatrically as he re-entered the bedroom and plopped down next to Alec on the bed. Alec lifted his head up from one of Magnus’ books that he’d been reading. Some old crime thriller._

_“The Thai place said it was the third time you ordered from there this week and asked if you’d like to open your own tab?” Alec guessed._

_Magnus pouted which Alec would never not find adorable, “Alexander, it’s no fun if you guess correctly on the first try.”_

_Alec poked Magnus’s pout, “It wouldn’t’ve been so easy to guess if you hadn’t ordered from them literally thrice this week.”_

_Magnus swatted Alec’s finger away indignantly, “I suppose you also think I should keep an open tab, then?”_

_“I think you certainly eat enough Thai takeout to warrant one.”_

_Magnus frowned although the anger didn’t reach his eyes. He crossed his arms and Alec really tried not to pay too much attention to the fact that it caused Magnus’s shirt to stretch tightly over his arms and chest. This ultimately failed and Magnus noticed._

_“Alexander, I’m in distress and all you can do is ogle me?” he teased, a small smirk forming in the corner of his mouth as Alec flushed red. “Although I will admit, I do look incredible in this shirt.”_

_Alec scooted closer to him and took Magnus’s hand in his own, rubbing his palm with his fingers softly._

_“Magnus?”_

_“Hmph?” Magnus’ fought to hold back a smirk and Alec felt one forming on his own mouth._

_“I humbly apologize for making fun of your take-out choices. If it would please you, I’ll fight every single person in that Thai restaurant until your honor is restored,” Alec said in a deadly serious voice._

_Magnus pretended to think about this for a moment, “Even the owner’s grandmother who I know is stealing my fortune cookies?”_

_Alec leaned in to press a kiss to Magnus’ cheek. It was soft and warm under his lips, smelling of sandalwood and Magnus, “Especially the grandmother.”_

_“I knew there had to be some benefit to dating a Shadowhunter. No one’s ever fought for my honor before,” Magnus said._

_“I’m looking forward to being the first.”_

_Magnus sighed deeply, “I suppose I can forgive you this time. Although if you try to steal my spring rolls again, I’m turning your noodles into worms.”_

_“I probably deserve that,” Alec conceded, struggling not to laugh as Magnus looked at him fondly. Alec feels like he can float away every time Magnus looks at him like that._

            Magnus might never look at him that way again. Alec couldn’t breathe. He swung his legs off the bed and stood up. Jace and Izzy glanced up at him, concern etched on their faces.

            “You okay, bro?” Jace asked.

             “I’m fine,” Alec lied.

            “Do you want to watch a different movie?” Izzy asked quickly. “We could also go out for a drink-”

            Alec shook his head, “I think I’m just gonna go to the training room. See if punching something helps,” he tried to joke but it falls flat, even to him.

            Jace and Izzy exchanged a look and Alec needed to get out of there as fast as possible.

            “ _Hermano-_ ” Izzy began but Alec was already out the door.

                       

                                                                        ~

_You never deserved him you know._

            Alec grit his teeth and punched the bag in front of him harder. _Shut up,_ he told the voice.

            _You lied_ , it whispered as sweat dripped from Alec’s forehead and stung his eyes. He wiped it away and went back to channeling all of his frustration into these punches. _You lied to him even though you love him._

            “Shut up,” Alec whispered punching harder.

_You lied to him and now you’ve lost him._

            Alec punched the bag so forcefully he heard a _rip_ as it tore from its stand. It tipped over and landed on the floor with a soft _thump_. Alec couldn’t remember how long he stood there, staring at the bag, his heart in his throat.

                                                                        ~

            It took Alec approximately two days before he accidentally texted Magnus before remembering that they weren’t…exactly together right now.

            He was out on patrol when it happened. Though he was Head of the Institute, with tensions running high between Shadowhunters and Downworlders, and with Valentine and Sebastian, or Jonathan rather, still on the loose, they needed all the people they could get out on the street. One of the storefronts he’d passed on his way to his location had been a bookstore and one of the books in the window had been called _Tiny Hats on Cats: Because Every Cat Deserves to Feel Fancy_. Alec had snapped a picture of it and sent it to Magnus with the caption “Maybe a hat would make Church less grumpy?” in the span of about five seconds before realizing what he’d done.

            Well. That happened.

            Alec was considering chucking his phone into the street and dying of mortification when his phone buzzed. His stomach lurched. Magnus had texted him back.

**From Magnus:**

            _i’m pretty sure not even the jauntiest of hats could fix church’s attitude problem_

_funnily enough, i actually just ordered that exact book on amazon_

            Alec’s stomach lurched again. Magnus was texting him back, joking like nothing had happened. Replying would be a really bad idea, Alec thought to himself.

            He was already typing out a reply before he finished the thought.

**From Alec:**

_Great minds think alike._

            The reply took a little longer this time.

**From Magnus:**

_maybe you’ve just been spending too much time with me_

            Alec typed out his reply and sent it without thinking better of it.

**From Alec:**

_There’s no such a thing as spending too much time with you._

            A couple minutes passed. Alec thought maybe he went too far and was ready to apologize when his phone buzzed again.

**From Magnus:**

            _then how come you haven’t picked up some of my fashion sense by now? it’s getting tragic, alexander_

            Alec rolled his eyes fondly and typed out a reply and, for a few moments, as he and Magnus teased each other back and forth, verging on flirting, it really felt as though nothing at all had changed.

                                                                        ~

            Alec was not looking forward to the first Downworlder-Shadowhunter council meeting since his and Magnus’s…incident.

            Maybe if he just sat there and didn’t make direct eye contact with Magnus once he can get through this without falling apart.

            Alec walked into the meeting room and Magnus was standing by the table, fiddling with something small in his hand. Of course. And he looks gorgeous. Obviously. The streaks in his hair today were pale pink, his eyelashes a shimmering gold, and his button up and vest ensemble seemed to be tailor-made to make Alec suffer. Naturally.

            When Magnus looked up as he approached, Alec wondered if it would hurt a thousand times less if Magnus didn’t still look at him the way he always did, with love and adoration in his eyes. Although now, there’s pain behind that. Alec is sure he looks the same way.

            As Alec stepped in front of Magnus he realized he doesn’t know what to say. They stood looking at each other in silence.

            “Hi,” Alec blurted out. Smooth.

            Magnus smiled softly and Alec felt his knees go weak. “Hello, Alexander,” Magnus said.

            Alec figured he should probably only stick to safe conversation topics. The weather, the economy, that sort of thing. “You look amazing,” is what he said instead. He mentally chastised himself for acting like an idiot.

            Magnus raised an eyebrow, “Mr. Lightwood, I’m not sure if that’s an appropriate remark to make in the workplace.”

            Alec couldn’t help the goofy smile that spread across his face, “My apologies, Mr. Bane. I was simply taken aback by how professional you looked.”

            Magnus’s smirked slightly then gasped before pulling out his phone.

            “Oh! Alexander, I know this isn’t exactly professional either, but the _Tiny Hats on Cats_ book just arrived the other day and I have to show you these hats I made for Church-”

            Magnus pulled up a photo of Church with a small paper top hat perched on his head, scowling menacingly at the camera. Alec snorted.

            “He looks like he’s gonna claw your face off,” Alec noted.

            Magnus scoffed, “He looks positively debonair, he just doesn’t know how to appreciate a good top hat.”

            “Uh-huh,” Alec said, knowingly, “And how long did it take before you tried one of those hats on?”

            Magnus tilted his head, “I wish I could say at least an hour …but I was only two hats in until I decided to try on the paper beret.”

            “I bet it was a good look,” Alec said.

            Magnus preened, “I look good in everything I try on.”         

            “You usually look best with nothing on,” the words tumble easily from Alec’s lips and he wished he could take them back as blood rushes to his cheeks. “I, sorry-”

            But Magnus, who’d been stunned for a second, laughed delightedly, his head thrown back and the area around his eyes crinkling wonderfully. Magnus’s laugh was the most beautiful sound Alec had ever heard and he didn’t realize how much he’d missed it until he heard it and his heart panged painfully.

            “Oh, Alexander,” Magnus said, shaking his head softly, looking up at him, “We’re really bad at…this, aren’t we?”

            It seemed that Magnus was having as much trouble saying the word as Alec was. Alec huffed out a laugh, shrugging slightly. “Could be a sign,” he said, heart thumping in his throat. When would he learn to shut up?

            Magnus stared at him, brown eyes boring into Alec’s face. “Could be,” he murmured still staring.

            Something below caught Alec’s attention and he looked down and felt all the air go out of him. The omamori charm. Magnus was fiddling with it, turning it over back and forth, tapping his fingers along the edges.

            “You kept it,” Alec whispered.

            Magnus looked down then back up again, something unreadable in his expression although he looked slightly more closed off than before. “Of course I did,” he said, voice steady, “It was a gift. From someone very dear to me.”

            Alec couldn’t do this anymore, “Magnus-“

            He was interrupted by the door barging open behind them and Raphael’s angry voice permeated the room, “Well, well, if it isn’t Liar Lightwood. _Mira qué clase de carajo-”_

            Magnus turned away from Alec to try to calm Raphael down and Alec wondered if he’d ever catch his breath back.

                                                                        ~

            Alec always fucking hated sand. Whenever his parents had dragged him and his siblings to the beach, he refused to build sand castles with Izzy or bury Jace in the sand. He hated the way it got inside his clothes and took forever to wash out of his thick hair.

            He hates fighting in the sand even more. It’s difficult to get traction and gain speed. Which is a currently a huge problem since he was trying run away from this almost comical looking dragon demon.

            Well, it would be more comical if he wasn’t about to die.

            He tried to shoot an arrow behind him but it missed the demon, who screeched and flew faster.

            “Alexander!”

            He distinctly saw and heard Magnus some ways up the beach in front of him. Magnus. He had to get to Magnus. He had to protect Magnus. Magnus didn’t need his protection but Alec, Alec had to be by his side-

            Suddenly, Alec felt a searing pain across his back and crumpled on the ground, face first in the sand.

            “Shit.” The demon had gotten him, clawed right across his back. Now it was hovering above him ready to make the kill. Alec couldn’t move, the pain rippling across his torso excruciating, he couldn’t reach his bow.

            “Alexander!” He heard Magnus’s voice call out again. He struggled to lift his head. He had to see Magnus, he had to see him before he died, he had to tell him he loved him one last time…          

            The demon exploded above Alec in a shower of red sparks. Suddenly, Magnus was there, kneeling next to him, lifting him up so Alec was now leaning heavily against Magnus’ chest. “Alexander? Alexander can you hear me?”

            Alec hummed in affirmation, wincing as the movements caused his back to throb.

            “Alexander, don’t move, I’m going to heal you, don’t worry, darling, I’ve got you,” Magnus rambled, voice shaking only slightly as he lifted the back of Alec’s shirt. Immediately Alec could feel Magnus’ magic at work, healing his wounds, stitching up what would be several new scars. He pulled Alexander back, faint tears in his eyes, his unglamoured eyes, as he ran his eyes all over Alexander.

            “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

            “You sure you’re not just using this as an excuse to get my shirt off?” Alec mumbled. Magnus’s worried face morphed into a look of disbelief as he stared at Alec, his eyebrows shot into the air.

            “Are you kidding me right now, Alexander? You nearly just died on this godforsaken beach, I thought I had lost you, and you-you have the audacity to flirt with me?”

            Alec grinned at him. His back still ached and the battle may have been over but the war was nowhere near over, yet being in Magnus’s arms, he hadn’t felt this safe in weeks. He felt almost giddy, “I knew you would save me.”

            Magnus rolled his eyes and flicked Alec lightly on his temple. “Ow,” said Alec, amused. “Did you just flick me?”

            “If you think,” Magnus began, “for one second that I will ever save your ass again, Alexander Gideon Lightwood, then you are sadly mistaken.  So help me if you ever get hurt again, I will…I will-”

            Magnus didn’t finish his sentence, instead cupping Alec’s face and kissing him squarely on the mouth. Alec felt himself sink deeper into Magnus’s arms. He could cry, he missed this so much, the warmth in his stomach, the softness of Magnus’s mouth, the feeling of being home.

            Magnus pulled back ever so slightly to speak, his forehead still pressed to Alec’s. “I love you,” he whispered.

            Alec couldn’t say it back fast enough, “I love you, too. Told you we’d always find our way back to each other.”

            Magnus scoffed. Alec lifted his hand and wiped away the drying tears on Magnus’s cheeks. He kept his hand there.

            “Come back to me,” Magnus said.

            “I never left,” Alec responded. Magnus chuckled. Alec could feel his warm breath on his face.

            “That’s an incredibly cheesy line, Alexander.”

            Alec grinned, “I don’t care.”

            Magnus kissed his cheek and grimaced, “You have sand caked all over your face.” He brushed his hand over Alec’s face to wipe it off, Alec caught his hand and held it firmly.

            “Don’t let go again,” he whispered.

            Magnus gave him a bruising kiss and hugged him, Alec buried his face in Magnus’s shoulder. “I won’t,” Magnus said firmly. “I promise. You’re stuck with me forever, Alexander.”

            Alec smiled against his shoulder. “I like the sound of that.”

            Alec felt like he could very well spend the rest of that forever on this beach. As long as Magnus was here with him.

**Author's Note:**

> Find Tiny Hats on Cats here: https://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Hats-Cats-Because-Deserves/dp/1455558133 Magnus absolutely has this book.
> 
> thanks for reading! kudos and comments (critical and otherwise) are always appreciated
> 
> follow me on twitter: castielonacloud or tumblr: 0rderofthephoenix (or don't?)


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